Help!!!!!!

[79fordtrck]

Suppose I should elaborate on my problem LOL OK, I have a 79 F-150 and I am trying to figure out exactly what engine I have. I do know for a fact it is not the 351W, I beleive it to be a 351C Or M, but, it might be another beast all together. The vin plate for the door is wrong as it is a replacement door from a 75, I did find a tag/plate on the firewall but can find no info regarding it at all. All I can figure out is the year, and where it was made. I did find a sticker on the hood that says engine family and it reads : engine family 5.8 M/6.6 "B". I did look on the heads for some clues but there is no raised 2 or 4 on them. HELP!!!!

 

[5.0Flareside]

It's gonna be either a 351M or 400. Only way to know for sure is measure stroke..

Windsors didn't come to the trucks till 82, and the Cleveland's were only built 70-74, and never were put in trucks..

 

[79fordtrck]

OK, so there is no other way to tell except measure stroke? I have a plate that I found on the firewall but dont know how to decipher anything but part of the vin. I have a pic of it if that would help.

 

[79fordtrck]

Pic of plate

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10202002379448647&set=o.136073239748800&type=1&theater

 

[fatherdoug]

Look at the bolts on the fuel pump. If the bolts are located at the top and bottom of the pump, it is a 351M/400. Any other beast would be side to side bolts on the fuel pump.

There are no external differences between the 351M and 400.

 

[79fordtrck]

The bolts are side to side. The 351C has that too. I know its a 351, just not sure if it's a plain C, M or 400.

 

[79fordtrck]

I dont know why Ford had to make things so damned complicated with this particular engine. LOL

 

[fatherdoug]

If the fuel pump bolts are side to side, it will be neither of the three: 351C, 351M, or 400.

You can also tell what the engine is by the number of valve cover bolts, but I can't recall what the configurations are: I don't have access to my manual right now.

 

[79fordtrck]

Sorry, the bolts are side by side, was thinking of my 80 with the Windsor. It has 8 bolts on the valve covers.

 

[5.0Flareside]

6 bolts is a Windsor, 8 is a 335 series (351C, 351M, 400)

Unless a Cleveland was swapped in along with a SBF trans, it has a 351M/400.

Here's a thread of some of the basic differences..

Http://www.fordtruckfanatics.com/forum/showthread.php?t=32898

 

[79fordtrck]

Was afraid of that. Have heard that the 351m/400 are kinda junk unless you modify the crap out of them.

 

[5.0Flareside]

Just need to do a EGR delete and a straight up timing set.. Then it'll be perfectly serviceable fr a long time. Some of them have issues with heads cracking but I wouldn't worry..

But we do joke that they're boat anchors..

 

[79fordtrck]

Yeah, heard that term used quite a bit lately. Explains why my 80 with the 351W can run circles around it. LOL

 

[79fordtrck]

Guess the only good news is I can drop a 429 in there without changing tranny. Or no?

 

[5.0Flareside]

Yep.. Or a 460.. Have to change engine mounts and frame perches

 

[79fordtrck]

Just talked to a local speed shop and they said they can work with it and make it a mild bad assed engine for fairly cheap. Thoughts on that one? Frame perches? What are those?

 

[DNFXDLI]

There is nothing wrong with the 351M/400's..they respond just like any other engine. Check out T Meyer Inc....
Here are the numbers on a mild 400:
http://www.tmeyerinc.com/400Fordpg4.htm

I'm doing a little more than that and will wind up with an engine that will weigh in the neighborhood of 400lbs and will make 525-550 hp/tq...not bad for a "boat anchor"

 

[5.0Flareside]

Still a boat anchor

 

[79fordtrck]

OK. How good would a 429 out of a bus be? Sorry for so many questions but, I am reformed Chevy guy. LOL

 

[DNFXDLI]

Still a boat anchor

OK. How good would a 429 out of a bus be? Sorry for so many questions but, I am reformed Chevy guy. LOL

Pretty sure they are the same as the car engines, so a good starting point and nice to hear you have seen the blue oval light